2A Baseball : Semifinalists Include Top 2 Teams, 3 City Western League Adversaries

The San Diego Section 2-A baseball semifinals, set for today at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the University of San Diego, will feature the two top-seeded tournament teams and a lot of familiarity.

The top-seeded teams are No. 1 Mission Bay and No. 2 Castle Park. The familiarity is among Mission Bay, La Jolla and the University of San Diego High School--which finished first, second and third in the City Western League. USDHS (17-11) will play Mission Bay (23-3-1) in the first game, followed by La Jolla (21-5) vs. Castle Park (24-4-1).

Mission Bay Coach Dennis Pugh doesn’t feel like a coach of a No. 1-seeded team this morning.

First baseman-outfielder Tony Lennan (.320, 30 runs batted in), the cleanup hitter, is nursing a severe ankle sprain, and catcher Tommy Lafever, who also is 4-1 as a pitcher, has a deep thigh bruise. Both missed Thursday’s 4-0 quarterfinal victory over San Pasqual and are doubtful for today. As a result, Tony Enomoto has been moved from second base to catcher, and Brandon Farley has stepped from the outfield to second base.

Also, Sean Rees, Mission Bay’s ace, pitched Thursday’s game and will be available only in relief. Senior right-hander Scott Kuhl (7-1) will start.

“We’ve got to get a good game out of Kuhl,” Pugh said. “He hasn’t pitched against quality teams this year, but he pitched well in the playoffs last year. If it’s close and we have a chance to win, I’ll get Rees in after the fourth inning.”

USDHS will counter with its top pitcher, left-hander Matt Siesel (8-5), who defeated Escondido, 3-0, in Tuesday’s playoff opener.

Coach Dick Serrano said his team, which beat Crawford in Thursday’s semifinals, 11-1, is playing well. “We’ve been getting good pitching, solid defense and timely hitting,” he said.

In particular, the hitting has been coming from center fielder Tony Moeder (.468, 35 RBIs, 3 home runs), Siesel (.386), shortstop Jeff Desjardins (.350), pitcher-designated hitter Duke Gonzalez (.344, 31 RBIs) and catcher Brent Whelan (.336, 26 RBIs).

USDHS and Mission Bay already have played three times this year, with Mission Bay winning twice, 10-4 and 8-7, and USDHS once, 6-3. Interestingly, both of Mission Bay’s victories came at the University of San Diego.

In today’s second game, La Jolla, which Thursday knocked out No. 3-seeded Carlsbad, 7-1, will start left-hander Brent Woodall (9-2) against Castle Park. Woodall (.389) is also the team’s leading hitter. Other top offensive threats include outfielder Brad Raulston (.335) and catcher Adam Lenain (.375).

“We’ve got to establish ourselves and get a couple of quick runs--something for Woodall to work on,” Coach Dick Huddleston said. “If we can do that, I think we’ll be tough.”

No. 2 Castle Park, which eliminated Hoover, 13-6, in Thursday’s quarterfinals, is a team stocked with good hitters. The middle of the Castle Park batting order includes third baseman Cesar Gutierrez (.450, 34 RBIs), right fielder Mike Vallarelli (.390) and pitcher Juan Beltran (.420, 36 RBIs). Beltran (8-2), a right-hander, will start.

“In these types of games, teams usually don’t win it; they lose it,” said Bob Korzep, Castle Park coach. “Physical errors happen, but we have to stay away from mental errors--those are usually what beat you.”